Borrowing tools

[09zkrankin]

Im a machinist, not a tech, but we deal with alot of the same stuff. We had a machinist come in that had a set of calipers and a set of 1-3 od mics. That was it. In our industry its pretty standard that you provide anything up to 6" and the company provides the larger stuff. He worked here 4 years and never did buy anymore tools, just leached off of everyone else, even taking some stuff with him when he left.

My shift boss has a key to my box and we share some stuff, but all in all i buy my tools, other people should buy theres too. And my tools out home do not leave the garage without me period.

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[smittyjones]

We have written policy. If you've borrowed a tool 3 times, you need to buy it.

I have an unwritten policy. If you aren't buying tools, expanding your collection... you're not borrowing my tools. Gotta pay to play.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I don't like to borrow or lend tools and there's very few that I will lend to, if I do. The other day I had a guy ask if he could borrow my siding brake. Respectfully, I told him no and why, that it was nothing personal but I just prefer not to lend out tools.

A $25 socket or $150 ratchet (with a lifetime warranty) doesn't compare to a $1200 brake that can easily be screwed up.... no offense to the mechanics implied.

 

[Ram Hemi]

My last shop where I got a tool allowance want by rates. A mechanic got 2k broken into 4 checks d mechanic got 500 broken into for checks. It was more of a reimbursement because most guys spent well over that. I was nice to get that amoun. The shop im at now doesn't have anything. Their excuse is people won't spend it on tools. Mechanics say then give of a credit on a truck. Well that won't work either. Then we said we need more money an hour if you want us to be able to buy tools. Company responded with well why do you have to be like that

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I have heard if shops giving different amounts when presented with receipts, 1 place was giving up to 1500 bucks back when presented with up to that amount in receipts, a lot of guys were buying their stuff and princess auto and then returning it all because at P.A you don't need a receipt to return tools.

So the 1500 was actually a net profit in some guys pocket.

 

[K-Dog]

We have written policy. If you've borrowed a tool 3 times, you need to buy it.

I have an unwritten policy. If you aren't buying tools, expanding your collection... you're not borrowing my tools. Gotta pay to play.

Funny. It's my rule, if I borrow it three times I buy my own.

Three is not an arbitrary number.

Borrowing once. It might be a specialty tool. Once is just not enough for me to automatically go out and buy a tool.

Borrowing twice. Could be a coincidence.

Borrow three times, yeah that is regular enough. Get my own. It has proven its worth. I know how well it works and if I like how it performs.

 

[joeyd01]

I have heard if shops giving different amounts when presented with receipts, 1 place was giving up to 1500 bucks back when presented with up to that amount in receipts, a lot of guys were buying their stuff and princess auto and then returning it all because at P.A you don't need a receipt to return tools.

So the 1500 was actually a net profit in some guys pocket.

Yeah my old shop questioned a couple guys. One guy had a year and statement printed by snap on and walked into the office and said you owe me some money. Last he heard of that. I used to just make my payments and when I got a tool check id put it on my account or buy something that I needed that wasn't on the truck.

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[crewchief888]

anymore it seems like if i dont have something to do a job, nobody else does either..

 

[Ricky112]

Something an apprentice told me when I first started wrenching - if youre gonna use it once in a blue moon, borrow mine. If you use it everyday, get your own.

 

[trxrx7]

tool allowance??? what is that, never heard of it! my boss is to cheap to buy a scan tool where we can actually read live data when trade in cars or his buddys come in for repairs, but gets mad when we call parts and it turns out they were ok, also the few shop tools that he supplies are all princessauto ****(canadian harbor freight). we have the same problem in our shop with borrowing tools, like others have said if you come back for the same tool over and over again i will tell you to f off.

 

[mr57]

I don't wrench for a living, in fact my wife says I don't even use the tools I do have, BUT they are mine. When my father-in-law was still alive, I would lend him stuff because I knew it would come back. My buddy across the street who I have known for 40 years, and is an ATV tech, can borrow if he needs, because I know it will come back. No one else. I lent out my cherry picker to my brother-in-law's, father-in-law, a guy who I have known my whole life. It came back with a bent caster and broken hook, after my ATV tech buddy went to go get it. Never again. Period. You want something, I come with it.....

 

[FigureItOut]

I work alone but I've been reading this thread with some interest. Neighbors around here don't talk much, the neighbor I'm friendly with wouldn't ever ask, but I'd loan him a tool if he knew how to use it. He's more likely to offer to pay me to do the task, in which case I just do it no charge.

Since I've got no one to borrow from or lend to, whenever I hit an obstacle I pretty much immediately order the proper tool.

It reminded me though of when we had some pretty major plumbing work done at our house. The boss would drop off this kid each morning who had very little knowledge, and even less equipment. He used my utility pump, wheel barrow, extension cords, tarps and once even my rotary hammer. He didn't ask for any of it, but I offered hoping the job would just get done. I figured it was better having him use my stuff with me in the house than standing there staring at the hole in our slab waiting for his useless boss to come around.

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[maxhall1023]

I only use my tools for home use but I'll occasionally ask to borrow something. The most frequently borrowed item is a trailer for when I pick up a large tool. I think I've borrowed a trailer about 5 times now but from 3 different people. I know I know I need to buy my own and I would have already if swmbo didn't have an issue with where it would be located (I think I found a spot for it on the side of my garage just have to clear some brush and move pallets of old bricks). I really do feel like an *** because I've borrowed one so many times. I'll often offer $20-30 for their troubles. I also borrowed a plate compactor from my neighbor when installing my brick pathway but I gave him money for that as well and returned it the next day.

Personally I've never been burned with lending out a tool and oftentimes I'll just go help someone friend/neighbor if they ask to borrow something because it becomes apparent they have no idea what they're doing.

 

[stearn786]

I work with a tech that I've worked with for like 8 years in two different shops (we moved at the same time). We've been dividing up the tool buying for years. I have a hydraulic flaring tool, he has a full set of harmonic balancer pullers. I have a full tap and die set, he has a video borescope etc. Saves us both money and the job gets done. We both bring back whatever we use though, and if it gets broken we buy each other a new one.

We've often joked about how much money we would have to spend on tools if one of us moved to a different shop.

With that said, I wouldn't lend to just anyone. One of the writers at work ran off with my sledge over the weekend (without asking) and I got it back with two big chunks missing out of the handle. Guess what gets locked up every night now? Some people just can't take care of things, and my tools are not for borrowing without asking.

 

[dutchgray]

I hate it when other employees take the provided tools home at the weekend for their own use, one time I can remember I needed a shovel for some weekend work and despite having 6 at the job I couldn't find any on the Friday night while I went round locking up, I now keep my own at home all the time. Only a few people who I'm happy to lend stuff to but so many ask for stuff when you own expensive specialist equipment.

 

[Phantom552]

I loan stuff out when it won't interfere with my own work. If you have to borrow some oddball specialty tool, thats' cool. If you have to borrow a 3/8 ratchet, just go buy one. lol

That being said, I do loan out power tools to some guys pretty regularly, but they never ask for them. After seeing a newer tech trying to run in 40+ 8mm belly pan bolts with a 1/4 inch ratchet, I walked over with an air powered alternative and said "here, use this. Put it on my box when you're done".

 

[Roobaix]

Unless it's my boss asking I usually say no when someone asks. Most of the time it's a random contractor at work that needs to borrow a screwdriver or tape measure. I have easily recognizable stuff but I'm still not comfortable lending some of it out.

 

[ZRX61]

I LOVE THIS. Wish we could get reprints of this booklet.

Originals pop up on Ebay all the time.

Here's a PDF of a later version:
http://www.mbmcdaniel.com/burbankia/lockheed_employee_handbook.pdf

1955:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RUAOA8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Bruce57]

I've loaned tools and had them returned damaged with no explanation. If I need a tool I don't have I'll buy it. My family and I made the sacrifices necessary so I have the tools to do my job. I hear guys talk about not being able to afford tools then turn around and spend a lot of money on hobbies. I will loan tools to people at work who don't need them to do their typical job and respect and return them. But I do get annoyed by people who won't buy the tools they should have and don't return mine unless I ask.

 

[martin666]

My partner in the shop is the only one I'll lend tools to, friends or relitives I'll help do the job rather than lend tools . No exemptions

 

[Corndoggeh]

I don't lend out tools to anyone but my brother who has worked on machines and cars his whole working life or my neighbor whose old school midwestern (too much pride/honor to ever borrow a tool after the first time and returns everything wiped down after being used). Anyone else can bark up someone elses tree because I've lost a wrench and a handful of sockets once because the guy I lent them too for him to work on his car couldn't care less about what happened to any tools that weren't his.

I'm even more strict over my truck, no one but me drives it and "family friends" used to take advantage of my girlfriend's truck until one person popped her back sliding window and jammed it and emptied her tank while he moved a table. She promptly jumped on the same boat as me about the truck.

 

[TK-421]

If you have to borrow it once, make a mental note of it, if you have to borrow it twice, add it to your list of stuff to buy, if you have to borrow it three times then move it to the top of the list and buy it asap.

I'd let someone borrow stuff as much as they wanted, so long as I could trust them, they gave it back when I needed to use it, and they gave it back in the same shape it was in when I lent it to them, so long as they're making an obvious effort to get their own if they have to borrow it more than once. If it's a $500 tool, and the guy needs it, but has to save up the money, then I don't mind lending it to him half a dozen times until he can get his own. But if someone has to borrow a $30 tool half a dozen times, and is making no effort to buy his own, then he's cut off.

My tools are for the one time you need something weird, or the intermediary between when you realize you need it and when you can afford it, they're not in lieu of your own tools. So long as I can trust you. I'd give someone one chance, and if they bring me back something broken, when it was working when I gave it to them, and they make zero effort to repair or replace it, then they're done forever, and I can hold a grudge for a very long time.